North Cascades National Park - Washington

Address:810 State Route 20
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
Tel: (360) 856-5700

This isolated, pristine Washington nature reserve is set against the unparalleled backdrop of rugged emerald mountains, dazzling waterfalls, and more glaciers than any other park in the continental U.S. The rocky terrain has been inhabited by Native American hunter-gatherers for more than 8,000 years and the park is packed with a fascinating cultural and natural history. The North Cascades are home to an extremely diverse cast of characters (more than 1,000 different plant and animal species in total) which include marmots, moose, black bears, and wolverines, to name just a few.
Although much of the park is visible from a scenic drive along the Cascade River Road, you'll find Cascades to be the perfect playground for just about every cool outdoor activity. Mountain climbers and backpackers flock to North Cascades for a chance to reach the top of some of the park's spectacular peaks. Nearly 400 miles of excellent hiking trails dot the landscape giving visitors ample opportunity to get out and enjoy the wildlife. Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area are exceptional sites managed by North Cascades that provide great opportunities for fishing and boating. Lake Chelanis also one of the deepest lakes in the nation and offers more than 15 public docks plus lakeside camping - an unforgettable way to experience the park. The Recreation Area boasts the glorious Rainbow Falls, and Stehekin, a small historical village within the park's boundaries.

The North Cascades have long been known as the North American Alps. Characterized by rugged beauty, this steep mountain range is filled with jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls, and glaciers. North Cascades National Park Service Complex contains the heart of this mountainous region in three park units which are all managed as one and include North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Each area offers different experiences and contains wilderness. Over 93% of the park complex is managed as the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness, which was established by Congress in 1988. The wilderness area was named in honor of the first director of the National Park Service.
Long before North Cascades National Park Service Complex was established in 1968, this area was a home. Not only to an astounding diversity of plants and animals, it was the home to Native Americans and a trade gateway between the Plateau tribes to the east and the Coast Salish tribes to the west for over 8,000 years. More recent settlers came in the nineteenth century to establish homesteads in places like the Stehekin Valley, or to mine elusive minerals – like gold, or to trap furbearing animals such as the beaver, otter, and marten. Now it is preserved as a national park for all to enjoy.